The Last Hunger Games
by anditsgonnabetotallyawesome
Summary: The last living votors have cast thier votes, and the last hunger games, containing the children of the heads in the capitol during the war will commence.   Please review, this is my first story!
1. Foreward

Foreward

"The time has come. We need to decide." the president says, "We need to start designing an arena for the Hunger Games you voted to hold this year.

Katniss nods, "I actually had an idea for kind of a theme. What if we designed the arena like a rose? That was President Snow's main symbol, and we could have there be petals, around a center, with the cornucopia. Each petal would hold a different horror. Maybe, each person that voted yes to the games could design a petal. The theme is that everything that is beautiful isn't really that good." Haymitch nods in agreement and Enobaria's face lights up in excitement.

A man enters the room, in a wheelchair. Knowing that Beetee voted against the games, the assembled group stops talking. Beetee speaks,

"There's no need to fall so silent. It's not as though I don't know what you're talking about. I have come to propose an idea for your Hunger Games."


	2. Chapter 1: Adriana Snow

Chapter One

Adriana Snow

"Adriana Snow, History Class is not a time for daydreaming!" a stern voice made its way into my outdoor fantasies.

"Sorry, Mrs. Edgerton." I say, and relax in my chair for another long lecture.

"I should think so. Now, this is a very important class today, and yes, there will be a test on this." my teacher explains.

"Now, who knows who our governor is here in Area 3?" Our class looks at her blankly. We don't pay attention to this stuff. "No one? Well, our governor here is Governor Schneider. He has been our governor since the Revolution, six years ago. You're probably too young to remember about the Revolution. Well, it was hard times. We lived in 12 Districts, not 15 Areas. And we were ruled by a very cruel man, who called himself a president. He lived in a place called the Capitol, where people got everything they ever needed. They got everything from the districts that grew or made things from fish to fruit to electronics, they made it all. The people in the districts, well... some had it good but others, not so much. Adriana, do you know what the 'President's' name was?" How can I not? I am his granddaughter. But I just mutter,

"Coriolanus Snow."

"Very good, Miss. Snow." Yeah, of course, draw more hateful attention to me. "'President' Snow was a horrible man. He even killed his own daughter. He put children to their deaths every year in something called the Hunger Games. They were a way of keeping the people in check. The children were put in an arena designed by people called game makers. They had to fight to their deaths. They had no choice but to do this, or their families would be killed. Each district had to send one boy and girl. The last one alive won and was given money and glory and survived, but the losers, lost their lives. Not everyone liked it, and the tributes were allowed to get presents from sponsors. But no one could really help them; they were pieces in game makers' games. Are there any questions?" She's finishes her lecture and everyone is sitting, staring at her. She nods, saying, "Today, there will be a mandatory speech by the President. If I catch you sleeping, you will be writing a one thousand word essay on the history of the paper clip." She turned on the screen.

The President was standing at a podium, about to start speaking, "People of Panem. I am here to inform you of an... event that will be taking place as a final punishment of the followers of President Snow. After the Revolution ended, a panel of the living victors of the Hunger Games took a vote. This vote was a decision to have a final Hunger Games in punishment of Snow's people. This Hunger Games will be special because the tributes will be reaped from the children and grandchildren of President Snow and his closest followers. The reaping will occur tonight at 7:00 pm, sharp. It is a mandatory tune-in. Thank you and have a good afternoon." The television is promptly turned off by Mrs. Edgerton. She dismisses the class, and I slowly stumble out of the room, unable to get a grasp on what just happened.

I walk home in a daze. I am almost unable to process what the heck is going on when it hits me like a speeding freight train down an empty track. I have a good chance of being sent to the arena to fight other children. Every odd would be against me. Why me? Why did my grandfather have to be an evil guy who tried to kill people?

I am home, and my father is waiting for me. He says "Hello" and I think I mumble something back.

"So, I take it you've heard?" he asks, and I tell him I did hear. He drops the subject and we go ahead with our normal routine, making dinner, doing homework. Dinner is simple tonight, pasta and sauce with some sausage. I serve it up to us and sit down to eat. It is hot and I burn my tongue.

We walk over to the sink and wash our plates. My job is to put them away. He turns to me as we sit down on the couch, saying,

"Adriana, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you and I always will." Wow, that's the first I can ever remember him saying something so heartfelt since Mom... died. He must really be worried. I don't know how to reply, so I just say 'I love you' back. I'm only 14! I don't want to die yet!

It is almost seven o'clock, so we turn on the TV, and the President is back on, this time, with company. He introduces the girl with bright pink hair as Effie Trinket and the man with orange lipstick, eyeliner and hair as Caesar Flickerman. They each hold a basket and the President begins the reaping with Caesar's first pick. "Oliver Adart" he reads, setting aside the slip of paper as Effie picks a name. "Liza Goodman"

They continue, back and forth, name after name. I hang on every name they read; terrified that mine will be next.

"Noah Martinez, Meridia Tragart, Aidan Everard, Shari Rowan, Lucas Kaster, Laura Rowan" Laura and Shari, they must be sisters or even twins, how horrible, to have to fight your own sister!

"Nickolas Gerhard, Cadena Fili, Jonah Valairo, Medona Sonorous, Mason Finessat, Andromeda Salvard," Effie and Caesar's faces are growing more and more depressed as they read the names of the kids going to their deaths.

"Caleb Cairns, Cloe Brightwater, Mica Trent," the names drone on, but my heart won't slow down, "Aster Anderson, Holland Smythe, Cilentha Lee, Sal Markson, Lily Barrack, Kristoph Lyme and Adriana Snow." I can't believe my ears and suddenly, I can't hear or breathe and everything goes black.


	3. Chapter 2: The Capitol

Chapter Two

The Capitol

"Adriana, Adriana, Wake up!" my father's deep voice is full of emotion, he's depressed, and worried and scared for me. I open my eyes and I'm still on the couch, but I'm soaking wet.

"Why am I wet?" I ask.

"I had to wake you, you passed out after...after, well a little bit ago." he says somewhat sheepishly. I nod and suddenly, realization floods my brain. I am going to the arena. I tell my father that I'm going to bed, but I won't sleep. I try to sleep for hours until I finally give up and go to the computer to try to find what I can about these 'Hunger Games.'

They're not there. Gone, like they should be there but they're not. It is so weird, like anything on the Hunger Games has been deleted from record, permanently. Took the information offline and forgot about it. I know it was a horrible time in our past, but it is still important history.

Whatever, I know I have no chance, so extra information would just prolong the inevitable. I'm going to try to get some sleep, maybe. I guess, I'm okay with knives, and I can climb okay, I guess. I'll deal with it in the morning.

I wake up after a night of no sleep. My dreams were of people chasing me through woods with knives, I couldn't get away. I am wrapped in all of my blankets and sweaty.

"I made breakfast" my father calls, cautious to my reaction to last night. But I am over it. I know that I will die but I have to try my hardest for my father. I walk over and try the eggs that he has made. My father's not the best of cooks but these will probably be my last meal with my father so they taste amazing. I know that it's time to go to the train station so I get dressed in a dark green tee shirt and jeans. My father is waiting as I come downstairs. We walk down to the station, which is too close for my liking, and we get there too soon.

Before I turn to go, my father turns to me and pins a beautiful onyx and emerald pin on my shirt, saying simply that it was my mother's. There's lump in my throat that makes it impossible to speak as he says goodbye. I get on the train and it pulls away from my home as a man walks up, introducing himself as Peeta, my mentor.

We sit down as the train travels along, picking up more and more tributes as it chugs along. We finally pull into the station at the arena. We are taken into an area Peeta calls the Training Center and shown to our rooms. Peeta drops me off and tells me that there will be a prep team coming soon, to prepare me for the presentation ceremony.

And Peeta is right, no sooner have I gotten out of the shower when there's a knock on the door and two women enter as I quickly throw on a towel. One woman is tinted a greenish color, with auburn hair. The other is even more striking, with tiger-like features, striped skin, and pointed teeth. They introduce themselves as Octavia, the green woman, and fittingly, Tigris is the name of the tiger-woman.

They waste no time in stripping me down and begin scrutinizing my body for hair. Once they have decided I am clean of hair, they attack my stubs of nails. They file them down but nothing helps. They finally decide on fake nails, painted a bluish white. They paint silvery designs curling around my arms and face. Next, they slip me into an icy, silvery blue gown with thin straps. It ends, slanting down from above my right knee down by my left shin. I put on silver flats with tiny blue bows. They leave my straight, jet black hair down and put a thin silver circlet on my head and silver hoops with blue beads and put in bright blue contacts. Then, we walk out to a secluded ring. They help me onto a chariot, silvery blue in the twilight, with white horses.

A boy gets on with me. He is wearing a blank unitard with gold lines running haphazardly, all over it. He has a twisted metal black and gold crown on his brown and blond streaked hair. He introduces himself,

"Hi, I'm Caleb. What's your name?"he says with a smile.

"I'm Adriana" I say, blushing.

"So, you any good? Should I be afraid?"

"You'll see in the arena. Unless, I have an ally?" I say cautiously. He smiles, and agrees! I'm glad I have someone on my side! And, he's pretty cute, too! We get into the chariot and the horses move around the ring. He takes my hand and I let him. We move in behind the other chariots and tributes. We finally complete a circuit and our chariot pulls out of the circle.

I step out and release my iron grip on Caleb, thanking him for keeping me from falling out of the chariot. He walks me to my room and I fall into a dream-filled sleep, immediately as my head hits the pillows.

I awake to another knock on my door. I throw on a robe as Peeta walks in.

"Come down to breakfast when you're dressed!" he says. I nod as he leaves. I put on a blue shirt and jeans and go down to the Dining Hall. I find piles of eggs, bacon, french toast, cereal, muffins, crumb cake, fruit, sausages and every kind of breakfast food imaginable. I dive in, fill my plate and devour everything I can get my hands on. Afterward, I am told to report to the training center and I do, after filling multiple plates.


	4. Chapter 3: Training

Chapter 3

Training

I get to the training center with the other tributes and stand in a circle with them. A girl I recognize but can't name walks forward.

"Hello, my name is Katniss. Welcome to the Training Center. Here, you will work for a few days, while we," she gestures to herself and some others "watch. Then, you will demonstrate your skills and we will rate your performance, 1 to 12. There are many stations around this room and you may try as many or as few as you wish. You may not engage in any physical interaction with the other tributes, you may talk, but if you wish to practice, there are instructors on hand."

I decide to try first the knot-tying station. It may be boring, but I might be able to pick up on some traps. The instructor smiles as I walk over, she doesn't get much company, I suppose.

"Hello, my name is Annie." she introduces herself and starts showing me some knots, the difficulty increasing as she continues teaching. Finally, I am stumped when Caleb comes over and finishes it for me. He looks up and smiles his adorable half-smile that I return. I walk away, going to the fire building station. I can only use matches, so I should learn how to use other things too.

I walk over, with Caleb trailing close behind. I try to ignore him as I work with flint and steel on wood. I finally master it and I decide that these stations are getting boring. I try some other stations, weapons mostly. Swords are too long; axes are too hard to heft; maces, too unstable; wrestling, I'm too light; and hand to hand combat is too painful. By the time I get to archery, its time for dinner. We walk down and find another feast, larger than breakfast. After that, we go to sleep, I have no dreams, but I still don't sleep well.

We return to the Training Center in the morning. I decide to practice what I already know. Knives. The instructor there tells me her name is Enobaria. She hands me a green jade knife and I start throwing it. It goes into the dummies' hearts every single time. She finally decides to let me practice hand to hand. Every time she comes at me, my knife is at her throat. She calls some other instructors over and help me practice with multiple targets. I take them down, every time. I stand up and realize the room has gone absolutely silent, everyone is staring at me.

I slowly set down the knives and join Caleb at the camouflage station. Everyone returns to their practice but not before giving me looks, varying from fear to awe. Caleb has camouflaged his arm by the time I get to the station. I swear, it disappeared into the ground!

"Show me how you did that!" I blurt out before I can stop myself. He plasters leaves and paints onto my arm and does a replica of his arm's disappearing act.

"Where did you learn that?" I ask him, marveling over the detail.

"After my father was killed, my mother showed me how to paint. It helped me out of a depression I sort of fell into after he passed."

"I know how you feel. My mother may have come from the Capitol, but my father came from District 11, they did agriculture. He learned how to use a knife in the trees, during harvest. Then they met, and my mother got pregnant with me. She hid it until she had me, and then my grandfather found out. He didn't like my father and didn't know they even got married until then. He got very angry and she ended up dying. My father could only afford a small apartment in a bad neighborhood, so he tried to teach me self-defense, just in case." I reply. He nods, understanding how I feel. He just starts to speak when Katniss tells us that we have to go to dinner.

It is a feast as always, and amazing. Afterward, I walk out of the Dining Hall. I know I won't sleep so I wander around aimlessly until I find myself on the roof. Caleb is there, watching the sun set, a bright orangey- yellow color lights up the sky. I sit down next to him and he smiles. Though we both know this sunset may be our last, we savor its beauty for as long as it lasts.

I turn my head to speak and Caleb is right there. He leans in and our lips meet. My heart starts beating like helicopter propellers. We sit out there and talk all night, dozing off at odd intervals, when finally; the sun rises in another astonishing color explosion.

"We should head in." Caleb says and I agree. We start going to the Dining Hall, when I bump into Peeta.

"Go down to your room, Octavia and Tigris are waiting to prep you for an interview." he says. He seems unsurprised at Caleb and my being together.

The second I walk into the room, I am ambushed by beauty products. Octavia and Tigris scrub my hair until it shines, pluck the rest of my body of any hair that grew back in the past day and scour my body for dirt, all the while talking about their new lives and the new government.

My nails are painted a dark, sapphire blue and my lips a dark red. I have deep blue contacts again, instead of my regular glasses. They give me a necklace with a gold chain and a single, many faceted sapphire and shoes like Greek sandals, lacing up my legs. They put me in a dress. It is a simple blue leotard with layers and layers of blue, white and black tulle falling over it. My hair is braided with white diamonds and blue sapphires. I am a living waterfall. Every movement I make sends ripples down my body.


	5. Chapter 4: Interview Time

Chapter 4

Interview Time

We, the 24 tributes, file in and sit down in the chairs that are set up for us. These interviews will be broadcast all over Panem. The anthem plays and we all stand, out of respect for the very country that is destroying us. A basket is brought out and we pick numbers to find the order we'll be interviewed. I am 13th. I walk up to sit across from Caesar, who introduces me to the cameras. I only have three minutes, so he gets right into things.

"Now, Adriana, you come from Area 3, so who did you leave behind, when you came here?" he asks and I tell him about my father. He nods, and asks what I think of my odd pair off stylists.

"At first I was a little afraid of them, especially Tigris, but then I got to know her, and she's really nice, and so is Octavia. They are amazing stylists, I mean look at me." I say and Caesar asks me to twirl. I do and I become a rippling waterfall! I see Tigris and Octavia sitting with the other stylists, and give them a wink. The buzzer goes off, signaling the end of my three minutes. I take my seat as the other tributes take a turn.

I walk back to my room, and wash off all of the makeup and change into the specified clothes, a green shirt and black pants. I go down to eat lunch, where Peeta tells me that I will be going to show the game makers my skills, for the games. We use the numbers we chose for the interviews, so I am again 13th.

I go into the room, in front of the game makers, and my heart is beating loudly. This could decide everything for me. I stride over to the knives display and grab the jade one among a few others. I take them and drive them through the practice dummies' hearts from across the room, then for a finale, I throw one right above the game makers heads. They all gasp, except the girl, Katniss. She has an almost smug smile on her face, as though reminiscing, but happily. Suddenly, my mouth is moving without me telling it to.

"I'm not President Snow. I don't go around killing people and putting kids to death. Isn't that what you fought to stop? Why punish us?" I storm out, slamming into Peeta in the hallway.


	6. Chapter 5: Peeta's Game

Chapter 5

Peeta's Game

Peeta asks what happened in the room and I sheepishly tell him everything that happened. He smiles. I am so confused, why is he smiling?

"I am a mentor because I was a victor." he begins. Well, duh! I start to speak as he continues,

"Wait, let me explain," he stops me short; "I was in two games, both with Katniss. My first, I was reaped with her and we came here together. In her first skills assessment with the game makers, she shot an arrow through the apple in their pig's mouth. It didn't hit them, but then I knew that she was with me, that neither of us wanted to be a piece in the game makers' game. We became very close, and in the game, we were tricked by an announcement, saying that there could be two victors, if they were from the same district. Katniss found me and healed my wound, and the game got down to just us. Then, they told us that we couldn't both win. I was ready to stab myself, when Katniss held out poison berries. If we couldn't both win, neither of us would. They hastily stopped us and we both won, but that was the start of the Rebellion.

In our second game, since it was the 75th year, and every 25 years, they hold a special game. The 25th year, people had to vote on the tributes that would go. Then, in the 50th year, twice as many tributes went. The 75th year, my second game, the tributes were chosen from the living victors. Katniss and I went again. In the skills assessment then, I painted a picture of the little girl they'd killed in our last game. And Katniss hung one of the game makers that Snow had killed and no one was supposed to know about. That game didn't end well. There was a secret plan made by the Rebels that involved blowing up a force field and airlifting me, Katniss and a couple other tributes that was in on the plan. In the rush, they couldn't get me and I was taken to the capitol with another tribute who wasn't saved fast enough.

They took us and tortured us. The other tribute was doused in water and electrocuted. She survived, but has a remaining fear of water. They took me, and hijacked me into thinking that Katniss was out to kill me. When I was rescued by the rebels, they tried to heal me, but before they could, I tried to kill Katniss. Luckily, I didn't succeed, but when things finally got back to normal, I realized that one good thing had come of it." he paused, "Katniss realized she loved me back." he finishes with a small smile. I didn't know that someone could be so cruel, and I'm related to him; Snow, the cursed name. Peeta speaks again, beginning with a sarcastic tone,

"Well, on that happy note, I'm not really supposed to tell you but, when you wake up, you will be in the arena. So make sure your alliances are set." He walks off, just like that. I run for the roof, to find Caleb, right where I thought he'd be.

"Are you my ally? Can I really trust you? Because, in the morning, when we wake up, we'll be in the arena." I say. And he looks at me with those beautiful sky blue eyes, and says,

"I've got your back. No one can hurt you with me there."He leans in and we kiss, just once, and he speaks again, with an almost sad tone,

"We should go to dinner; they will be announcing our scores soon." So we meander to the Dining Hall, not rushing, just savoring the moments we have left together. They show us our scores while we eat, I got a 9, and Caleb gets an 8. The others get from a 4 to a 9, like me. Caleb tells me that he did some camouflage, and I tell him that I threw around some knives, not willing to tell the whole truth.

Then, they send us to bed. Yeah, right, sleep! I lay down anyway and somewhere in the night I must have dozed off, because for just a second, I wake up to a prick in my arm, then fall back asleep, deeper than before.

Suddenly, I open my eyes, and I most definitely not in bed anymore. Ahead of me is a wide field with a giant thorn bush. Something gold is glinting inside, the cornucopia, Peeta told me about that, its got weapons and food and supplies inside. To my left is a dense forest, I hear birds chirping away. To my right is a huge garden, with every type of flower imaginable, and dozens and dozens of roses. Behind me is a huge pine forest, full of dense trees and leaves. Around me, in a huge circle around the thorns and cornucopia are the tributes. A voice resounds, it is Caesar.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the Last Hunger Games begin!"


	7. Chapter 6: The Hunger Game

Chapter 6

The Hunger Game

A gong resounds through the arena and several tributes dash forward, into the thorns. A couple get their bearings and run in as well. The rest run for cover in the woods and surrounding areas. I see Caleb, coming free of the thorn bush and running toward me. We run into the trees in the pine forest and don't stop until we find a small grove. We rest a minute and Caleb hands me the knives he grabbed, and a pack of supplies. In the pack is a package of dried fruit and meat, crackers, a water bottle, a sleeping bag, and matches. We repack everything in case we have to leave quickly, and make camp for the night.

"The area I started in was a huge mountain, with a waterfall pouring down the side. Surrounding it, all over the ground were sharp rocks. On either side of me were areas that held luscious flowers, plants and streams." Caleb tells me and I tell him of the forest on my left from where I started. The day goes by with sounds of fighting emanating from the thorn bush and the rest of the arena.

It is night, finally and I sleep while Caleb keeps watch. I can barely close my eyes when it is my turn. Caleb lays down for only a few minutes, when suddenly, by the pale moonlight, it seems as though the trees are almost disappearing. Suddenly, I realize, they are. They are literally pulling their branches in and disappearing. I lean over and shake Caleb awake. He looks around, and seeing the trees, he grabs a pack and his bow and quiver, and we run for the forest area on the other side of the pine forest. Luckily, this one is still completely upright. We run to the nearest tree and climb, climb, climb.

Dawn is coming. In the dim light, I see a pair of eyes peering at me. Before I can shriek, Caleb has a knife in her heart. We hear a cannon and a hovercraft comes for her body. Dawn has come, and along with it is the Anthem of Panem. They also show the faces of the dead tributes, projected into the sky. Ten are dead, including the one Caleb just stabbed. Suddenly, I hear a shriek of pain and fear. It's my father. I start running like I've never run before; I must find him and save him. I hear another shriek, this time closer. And another, but this one's a female voice. I see Caleb running,it must be his mother. I almost run into a lake, surrounding the forest everywhere but where it connects to land with the cornucopia. I turn around, only to see a bird, calling loudly in my father's scream. I realize that my father is safe. It is just a game maker's trick. I run to find Caleb, but he is already caught up and I show him the lake.

I almost go to take water, but Caleb stops me, pointing. I see another tribute, who had the same idea. She seems to be stumbling. She leans down to get water when her scream of pain rents the air. She keels over backwards, and her eyes close. A cannon blast again, and she is airlifted away. Caleb assumes that she died from her wounds, so he is leaning down to take water.

"No!" I scream and he looks up, worried, "It's poison! Don't drink it!" I get out finally. We start to walk away from the lake when there is a loud thunk behind us. We turn, expecting ambush, but all that's there is a pair of clippers wrapped up in a silver parachute. At first, I am confused but then I remember Mrs. Edgerton talking about the sponsors, who send the tributes gifts. Caleb bursts out,

"The thorns, that means that there is something left in there. We need to make a plan. We can go tonight. One will keep watch while the other cuts away thorns. We'll grab stuff and run back here." we find a tree and wait for nightfall. Suddenly, there is a cannon blast and hovercraft comes down to pick up a bleeding body. When will this nightmare end?

As night falls, we grab the clippers and run for the cornucopia. I take the clippers and hack away while Caleb keeps watch. After twenty minutes of fervent cutting, we are through. We decide to wait out the night in the golden cornucopia. As the anthem plays, we grab as much as we can carry and run for the tree where we slept last night. I look up as the dead faces are shown. Six more are dead, not including the one that was poisoned. I hear an explosion from in the pine forest. We hear a cannon too, and a hovercraft comes.

Caleb says that he is going to check around, so I wait in the tree. But something seems fishy, so after he has a little room, I follow him. He stops and I dive behind a tree. He is with another tribute, a girl, Cloe, I think is her name. I almost rush to save him, when I realize, they aren't attacking each other. They are talking? I listen in.

"Come with me, I'll show you where she is hiding." Caleb says, "But be careful, she's got wicked knives."

"No problem," is the reply, "How did you get her to trust you?"

Caleb answers, saying, "Well, knowing that I needed her to get sponsors, I led her on with a little romance. She fell for me, it was easy, and Adriana's such a girl, no offense. And the sponsors did send her stuff, a pair of clippers that we used to raid the cornucopia. There was so much stuff still there, its all back there. But we should hurry, grab your weapon!"


	8. Chapter 7: The Other Tribute

Chapter 7

The Other Tribute

At this, I'm so astonished, I am almost discovered. But this is the Hunger Games, and I turn and run for our tree. I grab as much supplies as I can carry and run into a new section. This one has force fields, protecting fresh food and water in the front, and an area of tall grasses in the back. I run for the grass and hide in them.

I hear Caleb's annoyance at the fact that I'm missing, and I hear the other tribute yell at him. I hear his protests and then, I hear the thunk of the knife in his chest. Caleb is dead. The cannon blasts and I see the hovercraft, too close for comfort. Suddenly, I see another silver parachute, heavily laden with a basket, inside of which is a loaf of bread, potato soup and water. A sympathy dinner, but food even so.

As I indulge, slowly of course, I realize that my glasses are gone. They must have put in contacts while I slept. Only four more have to die in this nightmare. Only four more to be killed for sport. I see the girl that killed Caleb dart across the open field by the cornucopia. She only makes it halfway when an arrow sprouts from her chest, feathers a bright yellow. As the cannon blasts, I see a little movement across the way, from the paradise-like flower field. That must be where the arrow came from. I fall silent, realizing how quickly the numbers have dwindled from 24 to 4.

I don't want to be here, fighting other people, killing them even, but I don't have a choice. The choice was made seventy-five years ago, when the Hunger Games began. Suddenly, I see a haze forming over the flowers. Maybe, I'm hallucinating, but it certainly seems like there's something there. A voice screams from within the field, confirming my suspicions. I can't help but look as the hovercraft descends, showing a body riddled with tiny holes, like acid drops. Everything in this horrid nightmare is poison, from the beautiful flowers to the never-ending lake. Night falls, but I won't sleep. Not tonight.

My knives are at the ready, all night, my fingers cramping as I clench them tightly, afraid that if I let go for a second even, I will die. Dawn is breaking and the faces of the dead are projected once more into the sky. The anthem plays. I am so paranoid, every crackle, every movement has me jumping to the ready. I can't keep doing this. I am so tired. In the distance, but again in the pine forest, I see the explosion cloud. But there is no cannon blast and I see why as I a young tribute darts into the thorny cavern and back out, with some food. He must have been trying to make a diversion to get something to eat. But he doesn't get far as a knife sails into his heart. I know that there is someone after me and my heart won't stop pounding in my ears.

I need a plan but I'm too tired to think. So, from some of the grasses and vines, I make a bunch of traps and surround myself with them. No one can come within throwing distance of me without being trapped immediately. I close my eyes and my over-exerted body takes over, pulling me into sleep. I wake at dawn to the sound of the anthem and I hear s stick crackle next to me. I see her, the last tribute and suddenly, she is trapped. My plan worked! I grab my knives but, I cannot kill her. I don't have it in me to kill her right out. A plan snaps into my mind, an I tie her even tighter, and grab all of her weapons.

Her face is terrified as I drag her across the field, and into the flower garden. I tie her down, and make sure the bonds are tight. Then I run out of that poison hole as fast as my long legs can carry me. I climb a tree where I can see her, just lying there, struggling to get free. But the ties are too tight and the poison creeps up to her face. My stomach clenches with guilt and when the hovercraft descends, I am crying because I truly am a killer. Caesar's voice resounds once more,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the victor of the Last Hunger Games is Adriana Snow!"


	9. Chapter 8: Truth

Chapter 8

Truth

I blink my eyes as a doctor shines a bright light right into my eyes. I look around and see the faces of all the other tributes.

"W-What's going on?" I stutter.

"We have some explaining to do." Peeta says, slowly, as though carefully choosing his words. "You see, there was really no Hunger Games." I start to protest, confused as he continues, "To you, yes there were, or there seemed to be. I'm bad at explaining this so I'd like you to meet Beetee." A man in a wheelchair comes forward,

"Hello. I am Beetee. I created this Hunger Games as a stimulation. Each of you had your own game, however, they interacted simultaneously. You felt, heard and saw things happen, but they didn't really happen. Everyone is still 100% alive and well. I know this is very confusing, but we didn't want to hurt innocent children, just the evil followers of Snow." he lets this sink in, then continues, speaking now to everyone, "Please return to your rooms, we need to get you dressed and ready to be presented to the world, after the president gives his speech." All of us file out of the room, and I meet Octavia and Tigris in my room.

"We have the most beautiful dress for you, Adriana." Octavia exclaims as she sees me, and Tigris nods energetically.

"Anything you design is beautiful" I reply. My prep is team, so unusual, but they never looked at me like I was Snow's granddaughter, like I was some horrible person. No,they just look at me like any other girl. They start dressing me as I sit quietly, thinking while they chatter.

And my dress is beautiful. It is a blue velvet material, inlaid with milky white pearls and sapphires. My hair is braided down my back, intricately woven with silvery ribbons. Instead of contacts, they give me back my silver-rimmed glasses. My ears are decked with circlets of pearls that match my silver heels with pearls on the buckles. I am beautiful once more as they direct me to wait in the wings of the makeshift stage with the other tributes. The president walks to the podium and the cameras begin rolling as she begins her speech.

"Hello, people of Panem. I have some important things I'd like to address today. First of all, to the parents of the tributes in this year's Hunger games, your children are not dead. This game was a punishment of Snow's followers, not innocent children. Now, I know what you are thinking, I know that you saw them die on the television. But that is electronic, and can be created. We designed a stimulation game that the children unknowingly played. We broadcast the choices they made, and the effects that they had. They made the decisions; we had no power over that. Now, you are probably wondering why we did this. Well, we wanted to punish those people who followed Snow in the same way they punished us. We wanted them to know what it felt like to watch your children have to fight one another." his voice seems to break, but he continues to speak.

"All of the arenas have been destroyed and the games will never happen again. We will not add to the 1,748 children that have been brutally slaughtered in this very form of torture. I hope that you out there who followed Snow, who loved the games for the horrors they held, know what you have been doing to us for the past 75 years." he pauses, letting people really get the full meaning behind what he is saying.

"I'd like to bring out the tributes." We all file onto the stage. The cameras take us all in, alive and well before shutting off. We come off stage and go to the train station, all dressed up the way we are.

As each tribute is dropped off, they are given a basket of food and money. I am one of the last ones off, right after Caleb, who tries to give me a small smile, which I return with a glare. I notice that my basket is larger than the others' and I inquire about this to Peeta, who tells me,

"Even though it was a stimulation, _your _decisions made you a victor." I nod and start to walk away as Caleb catches up to me. He tries to talk to me but I stop him.

"No, Caleb. Clearly, I am too much of a girl for you. You led me on, betrayed me and tried to get me killed. It was easy for you to lead me on, right? Well, its even easier to get slapped." I say, slapping him. He is astonished, with his mouth gaping wide like a fish. I turn my back and march away, to my father, who envelops me in a hug. We walk home together, father and daughter, like it should be. Things return to normal, well mostly. At home, my dad and I are closer. At school, I am like a celebrity. Mrs. Edgerton gives me extra credit for a presentation on the Hunger Games. I am no longer the outsider, the outcast. And the Hunger Games are history to be taught to the next generation.


End file.
